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KKH reopens for traffic

Rawalpindi —One of the highest paved international roads in the world “Karakorum Highway (KKH) -connecting Gilgit-Baltistan with rest of the country on Friday was reopened for vehicular traffic following strenuous efforts jointly put in by the Engineers of Army and Field Works Organization (FWO).
The KKH was badly affected due to heavy rainfall and landslides earlier this month. “After clearing all 159 slides Army Engineers and FWO have opened KKH for light traffic today. By Evening KKH will be opened for all types of traffic,” ISPR in a news update stated.
After reopening of the road about 43 trucks carrying 1200 tons of wheat, which had stranded due to slides would pass through the repaired patches ultimately to reach Gilgit. FWO has rebuilt 350 M road at Dasu and 100 M washed away portion of Kayal bridge, besides removing mil-lio of tons of mud and rocky material.
The highway known as 8th wonder of the world connects Pakistan and China. It was completed in 1979 after two decades long hectic and laborious efforts of engineers of both the friendly countries.
“Installation of suspension or emergency bridge at this place is almost impossible; this is why about 70-feet portion of the highway is being filled with soil and rocks for flow of traffic,” a resident told locals who had assembled there.
He said that Frontier Works Organisation and officials of the district administration were active to remove boulders from the highway in Chuching area. The Kohistan district administration has also initiated legal formalities to pay compensation to families whose 25 loved ones were buried alive in Thor Nullah area of Kandia valley last week.
The district administration declared 23 people, including 14 women and 5 children, dead after local Ulema and elders abandoned rescue activities from the spot and declared it a graveyard. “Each victim family will receive Rs300,000 as compensation money, for which legal formalities are being final-ised,” said an officer of district administration on the condition of anonymity. He added that the administration had also got details about the dead on Sunday.—APP